3:00 PM -- 4:00 PMECS for Rookies (New ECS Commissioners and/or New Policymakers)(session #250)Plaza 2, 1st FloorLearn how to optimize your experience with your Interstate Compact for Education. This session will help you understand your role in ECS, let you know what you can get from ECS, and introduce you to a new network of friends and colleagues. At this session we'll also unveil the prototype for our new, highly interactive Web site.

8:15 AM -- 9:45 AMOpening Plenary Session: What Will American Education Look Like in 2015?(session #320)Grand Ballroom Center and West, 2nd FloorOpening the forum, ECS President Piedad F. Robertson will welcome participants to Minnesota and the ECS National Forum on Education Policy. Dr. Robertson also will present the Frank Newman Student Leadership Award to Eric Ross, Houston Community College, Texas; and Kendell Newman, Williams College, Massachusetts

Presentation: What Will American Education Look Like in 2015?

In the mid-1960’s, Jonas Salk began to speak of a major discontinuity in the nation and in the world that he believed would occur over several decades spanning the turn of the 21st century. He envisioned a break with the past in almost every aspect of life. Since Salk’s forecasting, we have witnessed a rapid democratization of communication technologies, which has changed how we conduct conversations; the democratization of finance, which has changed how we bank and invest; and the democratization of information, which has changed how we learn and think about the world. There are signs all around us that the physical world and social order continue to be in an escalated state of change. But are we changing our conduct as it relates to education policy? How will we leverage our essential values for the individual and for democracy so U.S. citizens have a set of skills and the analytical ability to be successful in an ever-evolving world? This session will discuss how globalization and the changing nature of the nation’s political, economic and social conditions are impacting education. The goal of the session is to foster thought and discussion of how education policymakers can lead through the change.

Accountability for Pre-K Programs: Building Models to Support Investments(session #330)Atrium 7, 2nd FloorOver the past two years, states have increased funding for preschool by over half a billion dollars. In 2006, 12 governors endorsed the creation or expansion of pre-kindergarten programming. Now many states are faced with the dilemma of how to answer questions of accountability. This session will address the issue of linking outcome standards with assessment of program performance in implementing pre-K programming.

Best Practices in School Improvement and Resource Allocation(session #331)Atrium 6, 2nd FloorWhat are high-performing districts doing to raise student achievement and how are resources efficiently allocated? Just for the Kids and Standard and Poor’s have developed best-practice frameworks for school improvement and resource allocation, respectively. Join representatives from these two organizations as they share implications for state policy in supporting more districts to adopt these best practices.

What States Are Doing – and Not Doing But Should Be Doing – in High School Reform(session #332)Edina Room, 2nd FloorHigh school reform has become a critical issue in the wake of reports citing U.S. secondary students' shortcomings in international comparisons, and data from every corner of the nation illustrating American high school graduates' ill-preparedness for postsecondary study and the workforce. To address this need for reform, states have enacted many types of policies. What are these policies and how can they serve as models for other states challenged by high school reform?

Putting the Pieces Back Together: Disaster Preparedness and Response(session #333)Atrium 1, 2nd FloorEvents over the past year illustrate the vulnerability of our society to natural and terrorist disasters. This workshop focuses on the role of state policymakers and education leaders to adequately prepare and respond to disasters. Participants will examine recent events and corresponding policies, practices and infrastructure to ensure schools are prepared for and able to effectively respond to disasters. In addition, participants will examine appropriate roles for student contribution to preparation and response to disasters. Policymakers from Mississippi will share their experiences and insights into why and how to create systems that engage all stakeholders in preparation and response.

Ensuring Healthy Learners(session #334)Atrium 8, 2nd FloorMinority populations within states and nationwide are disproportionately affected by disease and other health conditions caused, in part, by socioeconomic status and lack of access to quality health care. The recent volume of legislation related to student health and nutrition demonstrates that state policymakers recognize the importance of health in student achievement -- but schools alone cannot address major health care issues. This session will address options policymakers should consider to resolve health disparities and to address frightening increases in obesity and the onset of Type II diabetes in children.

10:00 AM -- 12:00 PMImproving Math and Science Education: What State Policies Make a Difference?(session #335)Atrium 4, 2nd FloorWith the new national imperative to improve math and science education – as well as reports linking students’ skills in these areas to America’s economic, technological and scientific global edge – how should states respond? Come to this session to learn how the federal government will be supporting state action, and what leading states are doing to both increase the number of students learning science and math and improve student achievement.

More and more, America's ability to maintain its edge in a dynamic global economy hinges on the quality, efficiency and versatility of its education system. Enhancing and optimizing the operation, relevance and effectiveness of that system are common goals. But the application of modern education technology, methods and tools are falling far short of their promise in achieving those goals. This session will discuss how technology can and will reshape the landscape of public education and how we can realize its increasingly evident potential as an engine of change and improvement. What are the critical issues that policymakers, educators and others must address to ensure technology is purposefully and productively deployed and used to enrich the teaching and learning processes, and to broaden educational opportunity and access?

The Economic Case for Investing in Early Childhood Education: Implications for Policy(session #348)Atrium 4, 2nd FloorQuality early childhood programs cost money. With the unprecedented expansion of pre-K programs across the states comes rising concerns about how best to provide support. Financing early care and education is a high priority in most states today. The presenters of this session will discuss the long-term economic benefits of early education, present the supporting evidence and discuss strategies for financing state-supported pre-kindergarten programs.

Tackling Critical Education Leadership Challenges: Authority, Preparation and Conditions of Practice(session #350)Atrium 7, 2nd FloorThis session will highlight what has been learned from the Wallace Foundation-funded ECS Leadership Issue Groups on topics such as the evaluation of principals, and the proper roles and authority of education leaders and their ability to control the flow of resources within districts and schools. The session will underscore the most challenging issues facing education leaders, such as how principals should be evaluated and compensated and whether they should have authority over school budgets.

Minority Students and College Success: Is Higher Education Up to the Challenge?(session #345)Atrium 8, 2nd FloorDemographic shifts have made it clear that higher education must grapple with how well institutions enroll and graduate minority students. While it is agreed that better preparation of students in K-12 education and student financial aid go a long way to improving college success rates, there is also some debate that the social challenges faced by minority students once they get to college can ultimately prevent attainment of degrees. Efforts such as the Gates Millennium Scholars and other scholarship programs have provided opportunities for many high-ability minority students to pursue both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Just as important as the programs themselves are the data they provide about the challenges these students face once they get into college. This session will be an honest discussion of what colleges and universities must do to increase the college attainment rate for minority students.

The Next 15 Years of Chartering(session #346)Atrium 6, 2nd FloorThis will be an unconventional, provocative and perhaps controversial look at the future of what most of the country still refers to as "charter schools." In this new sector in public education it is possible to create new schools that are substantially different from traditional schools in their organization, leadership and approach to learning. We'll discuss seven key lessons from the last 15 years that will shape the coming stage of this state-led restructuring of public education.

The New Age of Compensating Teachers(session #347)Atrium 1, 2nd FloorDiversifying the way teachers are paid – and in particular, paying teachers on some measure of performance – is gaining popularity as a possible vehicle to improve the quality of teaching, increase accountability, increase student achievement, and attract and retain quality teachers to where they are needed most. While much of the innovation regarding teacher pay has been at the district level, policymakers are looking at their role in creating policy innovations at the state level. This session will include a description of the basic elements and research on diversified teacher compensation systems and examples from a district and state with experience designing and implementing this type of pay structure.

Life After High School for Students with Significant Disabilities(session #349)Edina Room, 2nd FloorStates are beginning to deal with the growing number of students with disabilities who, 30 years ago, might have been institutionalized. Now such students are completing high school and even college. These students include those with disabilities such as autism, Asperger’s syndrome or cerebral palsy. Participants will discuss how colleges and universities are adapting, issues surrounding whether there are jobs for these students, and what policymakers can do to ensure communities are ready for these students and students are ready to participate in their communities.

Roundtable 1 – Finance 101: The Basics of School Finance(session #356)Garden Court, 1st FloorFrom property taxes to state funding formulas, this roundtable will discuss the nuts and bolts of school finance and provide participants access to the experts. This session will be valuable to those new to state education finance and will provide a look at the latest issues and innovations in school funding.

Roundtable 3 – Powerful Partnerships for Closing Achievement Gaps(session #358)Garden Court, 1st FloorAt the core of the current movement to close achievement gaps for minority students and low-income students is the explicit understanding that parents, students, educators and policymakers must be engaged in the work of increasing student success from pre-K through postsecondary education. One difficult challenge is to get all the stakeholders at the table to collaborate on solutions. Come learn about one of the nation's longest running partnerships dedicated to the academic achievement of minority students and low-income students and discuss the challenges and solutions to developing sound policy and programs for these students populations.

Roundtable 4 - Value-Added Analysis 101(session #359)Garden Court, 1st FloorBattelle for Kids, a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing student learning by bringing clarity to school improvement, will share information about a 105-district, value-added initiative in Ohio, known as Project SOAR (Schools' Online Assessment Reports). SOAR is based on the value-added methodology of Dr. William Sanders and is one of the largest value-added initiatives in the United States. Battelle for Kids will provide a conceptual understanding of the methodology, share Ohio's implementation story, and address how value-added information connects with school improvement efforts. Facilitator:Jim Mahoney, executive director, Battelle for Kids

Roundtable 5 – Latino Student College Choices(session #360)Garden Court, 1st FloorIncreasing Latino student success in higher education is critical to sustaining the U.S. talent base for a strong society and a thriving economy. To help address this need, Excelencia in Education is systematically reviewing critical issues affecting higher education and will release later this year, A Closer Look at Latino College Students' Choices. Funded by the Ford Foundation, this report will examine the patterns of admissions, financial aid and enrollment for selective Latino college students using both national quantitative data and qualitative data from focus groups and interviews with current Latino students and recent graduates. Please join us for a discussion of the preliminary findings that build on Excelencia's previously published works: Latino Student Success at Hispanics Serving Institutions (2002) and How Latino Students Pay for College (2006 in partnership with the Institute for Higher Education Policy). Roundtable participants will receive a pre-publication copy of the brief.

Roundtable 6 – Involving Students in Policymaking(session #361)Garden Court, 1st FloorSchool, district and state leaders realize the benefit of authentic, meaningful learning experiences for students of all ages. Districts and states across the country are engaging young people in policy decisions at the school, school board and state levels to both develop better policies and to provide students with experience participating in our democratic processes. Join this discussion around the benefits and challenges of involving students in policymaking.

Facilitator:Tiffani Lennon, assistant policy analyst, National Center on Service Learning and Citizenship, Education Commission of the States

Roundtable 7 – Educational Technology(session #362)Garden Court, 1st FloorTechnology provides the means to bridge the divided structures of education, to use resources more efficiently and effectively, and to recognize and adapt more quickly to changing needs, trends and demands. It also provides the means not just to repackage current educational models in digital form, but to develop new and better models of teaching and learning; not just to deliver education at a distance, but to transform the process and experience of learning itself. This discussion will focus on the psychological, organizational, political and cultural barriers to employing new technologies.

Roundtable 8 – The Data Quality Campaign(session #363)Garden Court, 1st FloorCome learn about the Data Quality Campaign and discuss how you can play a role in your state to build and use longitudinal data systems to improve student achievement. The DQC is a national, collaborative effort to encourage and support state policymakers to improve the collection, availability and use of high-quality education data; and implement state longitudinal data systems to improve student achievement. The campaign provides tools and resources that states can use as they develop quality longitudinal data systems, and will serve as a national forum for reducing duplication of effort and promoting greater coordination and consensus among like-minded organizations.

Roundtable 9 – Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Reauthorization(session #364)Garden Court, 1st FloorAs Congress continues its work on renewing the No Child Left Behind Act, please join Mike Hudson, president and CEO of the National Center for Educational Accountability, for a discussion of the issues state and federal education officials and advocates hope to address during the reauthorization.

Facilitator: Susan Bonesteel, director of State Services, National Center for Educational Accountability

Roundtable 10 – Full-Day Kindergarten – What's Happening Now?(session #365)Garden Court, 1st FloorOne year after the release of the ECS report, Full-day Kindergarten: A Study of State Policies in the United States, many states and districts continue to grapple with the challenges of offering full-day kindergarten. Come hear the latest research on the impact of full-day kindergarten and its efficacy as a strategy to close the achievement gap, and learn about what states are doing to implement or expand full-day kindergarten programming.

Facilitators:Mimi Howard, Early Learning program director, Education Commission of the StatesBecky Hill, education policy advisor, Office of the Governor, Arizona

Roundtable 11 - Testing the MetLife Leadership Toolkit: How Can You Increase the Capacity of District Leadership?(session #366)Cyber Cafe, Bloomington Room, 2nd FloorThis toolkit will provide the information policymakers need to increase leadership capacity in states and districts. Through a focus group of ECS constituents, this session will highlight what we have learned from four exemplary leadership case studies conducted this year.

Facilitators:Katy Anthes, partner, The Third Mile Group; and Arika Long, partner, The Third Mile Group

Roundtable 12 - Trends and Emerging Issues in High School Policymaking(session #367)Garden Court, 1st FloorSince early 2005 ECS has been researching state policies in numerous areas of high school reform, including: graduation requirements and their alignment with postsecondary entrance requirements, college-and work-ready standards, individual student graduation plans, P-16 councils, assessment, accountability, data systems and more. Come find out what trends are emerging in state policymaking in these and other areas, and learn about ECS' work in the field of high school reform.

Facilitator: Jennifer Dounay, policy analyst, Education Commission of the States

Roundtable 13 – Building Integrated Education-to-Workforce Systems(session #368)Garden Court, 1st FloorCreating greater linkages between education policy and workforce development policy requires greater collaboration and communication among agencies and stakeholders who often do not engage one another in substantive policy development and program coordination. The Midwest Higher Education Compact has begun a three-year strategy in each of its partner states to create roundtables of education, business, economic development and government leaders to explore how to create a more seamless transition from education to the workforce for their residents. The session will discuss the project and engage attendees on how to create stronger alignment between state education and workforce development efforts.

Roundtable 14 – Policies and Assessments in Arts and Citizenship Education(session #369)Garden Court, 1st FloorCan student competencies in the arts and citizenship education be effectively assessed? Join this discussion of assessment tools and methodologies in the arts and citizenship education, and the policy infrastructure and resources needed to support district or statewide assessment.

Facilitator: Susan Vermeer-Lopez, Arts in Education program director, Education Commission of the States

Roundtable 15 – College Financial Aid in a Time of Reduced State Support and Rising Tuitions(session #370)Garden Court, 1st FloorAt a time when there is a renewed urgency to increase access to and success in higher education, many states are faced with declining resources for higher education. Will limited public dollars be targeted at students who are the most economically disadvantaged at the expense of middle-income families? Or will financial aid be a combination of need- and merit-based strategies that intend to serve those students who have the highest potential for success? The session will explore what the next generation of financial aid will need to look like to serve a changing student population.

Roundtable 16 – The Cost of Teacher Turnover: Results from a Study by the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF)(session #371)Garden Court, 1st FloorTeacher turnover is receiving increased attention at the local, state and national levels with the result that policymakers are beginning to understand and act upon the need to retain high-quality teachers. With reliable data on costs and turnover at the district level, policymakers can identify problem areas, implement retention strategies and measure the effectiveness of these strategies. NCTAF has made significant progress helping five districts collect data on turnover and its costs, and believes that if school districts had the ability to track and control these costs, they would be able to recoup significant resources that could be redirected to quality teacher induction, retention and professional development strategies. This session will review the findings of this work.

Roundtable 17 – Engaging Professional Schools in School Reform(session #372)Garden Court, 1st FloorThis roundtable introduces an innovative model that goes beyond P-16 to P-20 to engage professional schools in the work of school reform, particularly around issues of engagement, academic rigor and aspirations. It reviews a continuum of approaches with participants encouraged to share their work as well. Illustrations will be drawn from current work of the national consortium of law school teams and include the University of New Mexico medical and law schools’ work with ENLACE grades 6-16, the University of the Pacific’s law, education and liberal arts schools with a law-themed high school, and others.

Facilitator:Sarah Redfield, professor, University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law; ECS Commissioner, Maine

Roundtable 18 – Aligning Accreditation, Accountability and Improvement Initiatives: Partnership Opportunities Between SEAs and K-12 Accrediting Commissions(session #373)Garden Court, 1st FloorFiscal realities challenge state policymakers to leverage and align existing resources to meet/exceed NCLB and state accountability requirements. Toward that end, growing numbers of states are forging partnerships with the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). The two accrediting organizations have recently unified to provide accreditation and school improvement services to schools and districts across 30 states. This session will highlight how states are partnering with NCA CASI and SACS CASI to support, enhance and align accreditation, accountability and improvement initiatives to benefit districts, schools and ultimately students.

Roundtable 19 – Maximizing Cost Savings and Efficiency in Higher Education(session #374)Garden Court, 1st FloorIn times of limited public resources for education, colleges and universities must find ways to stretch their dollars as far as they can. The Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) has become a national leader in creating collective purchasing networks for telecom and computer technology, property and casualty insurance, and office products that have resulted in tremendous cost savings for participating institutions, school districts, and municipal governments. This roundtable will discuss the success of MHEC's cost savings initiatives and provide insights into how institutions can work together to create similar networks for themselves.

Roundtable 20 – Engaging All Students in the Life and Work of High Schools: Data from the 2006 High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE)(session #375)Garden Court, 1st FloorUnderstanding the levels and dimensions of students' engagement in the life and work of a school is critical to improving learning, raising achievement, and creating a positive environment for effective teaching and learning. The High School Survey of Student Engagement, administered by the Center for Evaluation & Education Policy at Indiana University, is a project designed to help high schools explore, understand and strengthen student engagement through research and professional development. In this roundtable session, we will examine the data from the 2006 survey to tackle central questions related to student engagement and school culture: What does student engagement mean in high schools? In what ways and to what degree do students engage in the life and work of high schools? What are the connections between important student variables – e.g., race, gender, academic track – and the level and dimensions of student engagement? What roles do teachers, administrators, and school structures play in engaging or "disengaging" students?

Roundtable 21 – Universal Pre-K – The Illinois Experience(session #376)Garden Court, 1st FloorMore and more states are considering the benefits of pre-kindergarten for all children. Known as universal pre-K (UPK), this voluntary program has primarily been available to 4-year-olds. This year, with strong support from Governor Rod Blagoivich, Illinois passed landmark legislation making pre-K available to all 3- and 4-year-olds in the state. Please join two veterans of this effort to hear about the program's development and operation as well as the political process that helped make the program a reality.

Roundtable 22 – State Scholars Initiative(session #377)Garden Court, 1st FloorFunded by the U.S. Department of Education and administered by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, the State Scholars Initiative (SSI) is a national program that works to motivate students to complete a rigorous course of study in high school. This roundtable will discuss implementation progress in State Scholars states and connect these efforts to the new federally funded Academic Competitiveness Grants.

Roundtable 23 – Targeting Teacher Attrition in Large Urban Settings: Lessons Learned from NYC(session #378)Garden Court, 1st FloorTeacher attrition has emerged as one of the most pervasive education challenges in our nation. The New Teacher Center at the University of California, Santa Cruz has developed an evidence-based, replicable induction program that addresses new teacher needs, improves teacher quality and stems teacher turnover. The Center has recently partnered with NYC public schools in one of the largest, most aggressive overhauls of new teacher support in the country. This session will discuss the lessons learned through this effort and will explore strategies that state policy makers and urban district leaders can take with them to use in their regions.

Roundtable 25 – State Policy Solutions to Increasing Higher Education Success for Women and Minorities(session #380)Garden Court, 1st FloorWomen and minority access to and retention within institutions of higher education are issues of increasing importance to state and federal policymakers. While the creation of new employment and economic opportunities from postsecondary education demonstrates the clear benefits of higher education, numerous barriers continue to hinder the access of many. Additionally, students' persistence toward a degree or certificate is an essential component of postsecondary educational opportunity. This topic of postsecondary retention and success is one of the least studied components of higher education; given the wide variance in student goals, enrollment patterns and employment outcomes, it is necessary to consider the variety of impacts on completion rates. Women In Government’s Access to Higher Education Policy Research Center is dedicated to identifying policy issues, gathering research data and information, and providing a centralized clearinghouse for state legislators on ways to increase access to higher education for women and minorities. This roundtable session will discuss the role of state policymakers and engage attendees on how states and institutions can improve access to postsecondary education programs.

Facilitator:Neva Walker, representative, Minnesota State House of Representatives; state director for Women In Government

Presentation: A Conversation with Governors about the Challenges of Education Reform

Former ECS Chairman Roy Barnes will lead a discussion with ECS Chairman Mike Huckabee and ECS Chairman-elect Kathleen Sebelius about the challenges governors face as they pursue education reform. Barnes is the co-chairman of a nonpartisan, independent commission examining the impact of the No Child Left Behind law. He will ask Governors Huckabee and Sebelius about the challenges they face in continuing to implement the law and changes they deem necessary for the law to achieve its intended results. They will also discuss how governors balance state education needs with the other demanding public policy issues they face as they govern.

Easing the Transition from High School to Community College(session #416)Atrium 4, 2nd FloorCommunity colleges traditionally have been the primary access point into higher education for low-income or first-generation students. While an important role for community colleges is to provide remediation to students lacking key skills and knowledge, far too few of these remedial students ever complete a higher education program. Partnerships between high schools and community colleges are one key strategy for preparing prospective postsecondary students. These partnerships have the potential to align curriculum, provide information about the expectations of college, and offer support for students as they prepare academically and socially for education and training beyond high school. This session hopes to answer the question: How can high schools and community colleges effectively work together to increase college success?

Are We Using Value-added Assessment to its Greatest Potential?(session #417)Atrium 1, 2nd Floor"Growth" or "value-added" assessments that provide year-to-year results for individual students have captured policymakers' attention as they look for ways to improve student achievement and assess teacher effectiveness. However, there is a question as to whether these types of assessment systems are being used to their fullest potential for teacher quality. This session will explore the use of value-added assessment as a powerful diagnostic tool for measuring the effect of pedagogy, curricula and professional development on student achievement, and its potential for providing a fair and accurate foundation on which to build a new system of accountability.

Educating Native American, Alaskan and Hawaiian Students(session #418)Atrium 8, 2nd FloorMany states struggle with appropriate education strategies for native student achievement. This session will address the following questions: What are the current trends in native student achievement? How can state policies increase native student achievement? What pedagogies lead to increased student education aspirations and academic proficiency? What roles should the community play in motivating and educating native students? At this session panelists will share successful strategies to motivate and educate native students while ensuring cultural relevance, engaging the community and employing effective pedagogies.

9:45 AM -- 11:30 AMHigher Education, Workforce Development and Global Competitiveness: What's the Relationship?(session #419)Edina Room, 2nd FloorGlobal competitiveness has created an interesting frame for examining the current state of higher education. While there has always been a connection between the economic vitality of states and their higher education institutions, the stakes have been raised as demand for highly skilled workers rises within a knowledge-based, global economy. Higher education has often been criticized for not being responsive to the rapid changes occurring in the marketplace, but many institutions have proven to be innovative through the creation of strong partnerships with business at the local, regional and international levels. This session will look at the “emerging policy triangle” of economic development, workforce development and higher education, and its implications for states and institutions. The session also will feature examples of business/higher education partnerships that have contributed to the economic competitiveness of their states.

Creating Longitudinal Data Systems To Improve Policymaking and Student Achievement(session #420)Atrium 6, 2nd FloorThe Data Quality Campaign is a national collaborative effort to encourage policymakers to implement state longitudinal data systems to improve student achievement. Come learn how some states have successfully developed, implemented and used such a longitudinal data system to develop and refine state policies that are designed to support student achievement.

Evolution, Intelligent Design and the First Amendment(session #415)Atrium 7, 2nd FloorEfforts to include “intelligent design” in the public school curriculum have divided states and communities across the nation. What can policymakers do to address this conflict under the First Amendment? This session will examine the current state of the law, and explore the constitutional and educational issues surrounding the teaching of intelligent design in a public school. Is it possible for schools to teach this controversial subject matter? If so, how should it be done?

Plenary Luncheon: National Curriculum -- The Elephant in the Room(session #425)Grand Ballroom Center and West, 2nd FloorDuring this session, Arkansas Governor and ECS Chairman Mike Huckabee will present the Frank Newman Award for State Innovation to Kentucky. Secretary of Education Virginia Fox will accept the award.

Presentation: National Curriculum – The Elephant in the Room

The clarion cry for the United States to look better on international assessments raises the issue of whether states should agree to a common set of standards and a common curriculum. While a national curriculum or national standards appear to be common within the other countries that participate in international assessments, these terms quickly provoke serious discussions in the states. Leaders with deep knowledge of fundamental state-level beliefs and culture will discuss the issues related to national standards, national goals and national assessment. The elephant will be in the room, and we will be talking about it.

Report and Recommendations of the Governor's Commission on the Arts in Education: A Call to Action(session #432)Edina Room, 2nd FloorAs part of his two-year chairmanship of ECS, Governor Mike Huckabee created and chaired the Commission on the Arts in Education. This session will feature the report issued by the Commission, including the underlying principles for the governor’s focus on the arts in education, current research, policy examples and recommendations with a call to action. Join Arts in Education Commission members for a report of their work and a discussion on what needs to be done to ensure the arts are a part of the curriculum for all students.

State School Funding – What is Adequate?(session #430)Atrium 4, 2nd FloorPolicymakers in many states are being forced to examine if their education funding systems are "adequate." This question of adequacy is often the result of a lawsuit or sometimes in response to higher state or federal education standards that schools and students are required to meet. Is this new focus on school funding adequacy good news for schools, states and students? A panel of national experts will discuss this issue.

The State and District Role in Turning Around Low-Performing Schools(session #431)Atrium 7, 2nd FloorStates and districts have taken different approaches to assisting low-performing schools (or those not meeting adequate yearly progress). In some cases, contractors have been hired to work in schools, others have set up assistance teams in state education agencies, and some states are relying on leadership academies to train turn-around teams or are assigning the responsibility to districts. State leaders will showcase what is working in their different state and district approaches and the challenges ahead.

Adult Education: The Other Education Challenge(session #434)Atrium 8, 2nd FloorWith so much attention being placed on the traditional education pipeline and its implications for U.S. competitiveness in a global economy, considerably less attention is being paid to the other end of the education spectrum: adult learners. Recent reports detail how high percentages of adults in certain demographic categories lack the basic skills required to participate in today’s workforce. Data also indicate that 73% of people enrolled in higher education are not the traditional, full-time 18-to-24-year-old student, suggesting that there is a tremendous need to adapt our education systems to serve the large number of adults seeking a postsecondary education. This session will feature information on the current challenges that many states face in terms of educating their adult populations and strategies for how more coordinated state efforts can have an impact on the economic competitiveness of states.

Teacher Education and Community Colleges: A Revolutionary Innovation(session #435)Atrium 6, 2nd FloorAs some states face a teacher shortage that could grow to approximately 2.5 million nationally by 2010, there has been momentum to expand and enhance the role of community colleges in teacher preparation. No longer used just for lower-division transfer courses, community colleges now offer baccalaureate degrees, post-baccalaureate degrees, 3+1 programs and alternative routes to teacher certification. Drawing from examples of each type of program, this session will discuss the impetus behind these programs, their strengths and challenges, the biggest barriers to success, and evidence of the impact these types of programs have on teacher education and supply.

Developing Principals: Different Types of Principals for Different Types of Schools(session #433)Atrium 1, 2nd FloorA strategy for creating high-quality schools is to prepare principals using different approaches. This session will highlight work – funded by the MetLife Foundation – on how leaders are being prepared to become change agents through leadership academies and other nontraditional approaches. Panelists will reflect on who these modern leaders are in very different contextual settings than yesteryear, and will ask if traditional colleges of education can produce this new cadre of leadership.

4:00 PM -- 5:00 PMECS Commissioners Business Session Meeting(session #440)Plaza 1, 1st FloorJoin your colleagues and represent your state at the annual business meeting of the commission. Each ECS commssioner is entitled to one vote on matters brought before the commission. Make yours count.

7:00 PM -- 8:45 PMJames Bryant Conant Award Banquet Dinner(session #470)Grand Ballroom Center and West, 2nd FloorThe James Bryant Conant Award for exceptional service to education, named for ECS’ co-founder, is one of the most prestigious honors in the education community.

The 2006 National Forum on Education Policy will adjourn at the conclusion of the banquet.

8:10 am – 8:30 amP-16 Partnerships in the States: An Overview ECS has recently surveyed states to determine the nature and structure of P-16 work happening across the country. This short presentation will provide attendees a snapshot of the current state efforts to create seamless education systems from pre-K through college graduation.

8:30 am – 9:30 amMinnesota's P-16 Roundtable Minnesota's P-16 Roundtable is one of the nation's most comprehensive P-16 partnerships. With representatives from all of the key state-wide education organizations, higher education systems, business, and philanthropic and community organizations, Minnesota is able to engage in substantive policy strategies to create a seamless education system. Representatives from the Minnesota P-16 Roundtable will showcase their work and discuss what they have learned about the power and challenges of working collaboratively across multiple organizations and institutions.